This is an English-language blog by an Ecumenical Patriarchate auxilary staffer. It’s devoted to the life in the Phanar neighborhood of Istanbul given from an Orthodox Christian perspective. Its mission is to grasp and show the atmosphere of the place with its rich historical heritage that dates back to Byzantine times and shines in the present.

About

Who I am, what I do, and why

My name is Kostas Oulasoglou. I’m a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, 63 years old.

I’m grateful to God that I was given a chance to be here in the Phanar as its small but integral part. It’s a big honor and joy for me to serve our Holy Orthodox Church and its clergy, even in small ways.

Having worked in the Phanar for many years, you begin to feel its unique pulse and atmosphere. Your life becomes inseparable from the life of Patriarchate, you start to notice how amazingly intertwined things are here. Every detail appears to be so meaningful! And sometimes this place seems to be ruled by the Jesus Christ himself!

This is what I want to share with you: odour of history and firsthand information about current events.